Soul's Recovery
by Caitlin2
Summary: When TJ is badly injured, Seth and the crew must find a way to save her--body and spirit.


TITLE: Soul's Recovery  
  
AUTHOR: Caitlin  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Don't sue. 'Nuff said.  
  
SUMMARY: When TJ is badly injured, Seth and the crew must find a way to save her—body and spirit.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Fluff. Silly fluff.  
  
I woke up blurrily, still exhausted after the long night's vigil at TJ's bedside. For a moment, I was unsure where I was. As I shook my head to clear it, I looked around. The MedLab. I'd fallen asleep in the chair next to TJ's bed, holding her slender hand in mine. Sitting up, I drew the chair closer, examining her face carefully for any signs of change.  
  
I saw nothing.  
  
Disheartened, I settled back in the chair, her fingers still wrapped in mine. I rubbed my hand down my face. "TJ, come on. Open those beautiful eyes for me, baby. Wake up and tell me you heard everything I told you yesterday."  
  
Nothing. Not even a flicker.  
  
Yesterday, at a loss as to what to do to bring TJ back, I'd broken down. When Rosie came in to check on her, I'd begged her to let me help.  
  
"Rosie, there has to be something I can do! I can't just sit here and watch her…" I didn't dare finish that thought. Watch her die? No, I couldn't think like that.  
  
"Commander, there is nothing physically wrong with her. Spiritually, emotionally, she's broken. It's almost as if she doesn't want to come back."  
  
"Well, then we just have to show her how much we need her to come back." And so I cooked up a plan. Assembling the crew, I shared my hypothesis.  
  
"She needs to know, to hear from us, that we miss her and we want her back."  
  
Radu seemed concerned. "Do you think if we tell her these things, it'll bring her around?"  
  
I smiled wanly. "I hope so, Radu. Her spirit is wounded. We have to repair it."  
  
And so one by one, we all went in and told her what she meant to us, how we missed her, and how we couldn't wait for her to recover so life would return to the semblance of normal we were used to. I was the last one, by my own choice. I was nervous, of course, especially since I knew that the crew would be lurking outside the door, listening to me. But one look at her, so tiny and still in that bed, cinched it. I walked over and settled into the chair. I took a deep breath and gathered my thoughts.  
  
"TJ, I don't know if you can hear me…I don't even know if you care about what I'm here to say. But I need to say it. I need to tell you how I feel. I need to tell you that you are a part of me, that you complete me, that…TJ, you're everything I never knew I always wanted. You fill me. You make my life worth living. You captured my heart and captivate my soul. TJ, I love you. I've loved you for so long, it's as natural as breathing. And I could only tell you this when it was almost too late. I'm a coward, and I know that. I was so afraid you wouldn't return my feelings, wouldn't care. God, I was stupid. All my avoidance of my feelings made me act like such a jerk, and then you thought you didn't matter, that I didn't need you like I need to breathe. But I do. Without you, I'm nothing. With you, I'm everything. TJ, please, wake up. Come back to me so I can tell you, face to face, that I love you more than life." My voice broke then, and I lowered my head to rest beside her arm, tears flowing freely.  
  
I slept fitfully that night, clinging to TJ's hand like a lifeline. In fractured dreams, I thought I heard her voice. That was what woke me. Of course, it was just that—a dream. She still had not moved, had not regained consciousness.  
  
I was just about to call for Rosie when she appeared in the doorway. She was remarkably subdued—certainly a result of all the stress we were all under.  
  
"Good morning, Commander Goddard."  
  
I attempted a smile, which failed rather spectacularly. "Morning, Rosie."  
  
Rosie bustled around TJ's bed, checking vital signs and adjusting the machines monitoring them—"just in case", she'd told me.  
  
In case TJ decided that coming back was just not a possibility. This way, we'd know.  
  
Even though I knew the answer, I asked, "Any change?"  
  
Rosie shook her head mournfully. "I'm at my wit's end, Commander. I just don't know what else to do." She headed for the door. "I'm going to talk to the others. Can I get you anything?"  
  
The sweet child, worried about my well-being. It warmed my heart. "No, thank you, Rosie." She left the lab, and I was once again alone with a comatose TJ.  
  
Reclaiming the chair by her bed, I took her hand, lacing my fingers through hers. My other hand glided over her cheek to rest along her jawline.  
  
"Sweetheart, please wake up. I can't handle much more of this. None of us can. We need you to come back. Please." I closed my eyes, sending a prayer to a God I wasn't sure I still believed in to bring back the woman I loved.  
  
"Seth?"  
  
My eyes flew open. Was that the voice of God? I realized very quickly who it was, and I cried out in sheer relief.  
  
I hit the intercom and all but shouted. "Everyone come quick! She's awake! SHE'S AWAKE!"  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Hours later, after she had been thoroughly examined by Rosie and quite completely welcomed back, I sat on the edge of the bed in TJ's quarters, looking down at her beautiful face. Still a little too pale for my taste, but as lovely as anything I'd ever seen. She favored me with a serene smile and tugged at my arm. I complied with her unspoken request, lying beside her. Stroking her cheek, I let myself get lost in her hazel eyes. After a long moment, she spoke.  
  
"Did you really mean all those things you said to me?"  
  
I looked at her in surprise. "You could hear me?"  
  
She nodded. "I heard you all. Everything everyone said was sweet and certainly wonderful, but yours…yours seemed to be what pulled me back. Of course, if you only said it for that reason, I'd understand…"  
  
Whatever she was going to say was lost as I leaned down and claimed her sweet lips with my own. I kissed her deeply, reveling in the fierce reaction I received. When I finally pulled away, her eyes were unfocused, her full lips parted and glistening.  
  
"I meant every word, and I'll say it again as often as you need me to. I do love you, TJ."  
  
She smiled, and all was right with my world. "I love you too, Seth. I have for so long."  
  
She nestled against me, and I grinned, content—for now—to just hold her. On the verge of drifting to sleep, I heard her voice.  
  
"Now, about this calling me 'baby'…"  
  
--END-- 


End file.
